Combination telephone network interface and cable television apparatus and cable television module

ABSTRACT

Combination apparatus for connecting one or more incoming telephone company lines to one or more telephone subscriber premises lines and for connecting incoming coaxial cable signals such as incoming cable television signals to a receiver of such signals such as a television set, and a coaxial cable module which may be embodied as a cable television module for being mounted to telephone network interface apparatus and for connecting incoming cable television signals to a television set.

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.08/300,417, filed Sep. 2, 1994, now abandoned as of the filing date ofthis continuation application, which application is acontinuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/018,327,filed Feb. 16, 1993, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,394,466. This application isalso related in subject matter to pending U.S. patent applications Ser.Nos. 08/266,188, filed Jun. 27, 1994, and 08/272,604, filed Jul. 11,1994, entitled COMBINATION TELEPHONE NETWORK INTERFACE AND CABLETELEVISION APPARATUS AND CABLE TELEVISION MODULE, both also are assignedto the same assignee as this application.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to combination apparatus for connecting incomingtelephone company wiring or lines to telephone subscriber premiseswiring or lines and for connecting coaxial cable signals from a sourcethereof to a receiver thereof such as for example for connectingincoming cable television signals to a television set such as forexample the television set of a telephone company subscriber orcustomer.

This invention further relates to a coaxial cable module for connectingcoaxial cable signals from a source thereof to a receiver thereof andwhich may be embodied as a cable television module for being mounted,for example removably mounted, to telephone network interface apparatusthrough which one or more incoming telephone lines can be connected toone or more telephone subscriber's or telephone customer's telephones.The cable television module embodiment is for connecting incoming cabletelevision signals to a television set, for example a television setbelonging to one of the telephone company subscribers or customers.

As used hereinafter and in the appended claims, the term "coaxial cablesignals" means any data, voice or video signal, such as for example andnot by way of limitation, cable television signals, telephone signals,telegraph signals, video signals, and the like, capable of being carriedor transmitted over a coaxial cable.

Numerous telephone network interface apparatus are known to the art forbeing mounted at a multiple dwelling such as an apartment house orcondominium and which telephone network interface apparatus are forconnecting one or more incoming telephone lines, typically a pluralityof incoming telephone lines, to one or more telephone subscriber's orcustomer's telephones located at various apartments or condominiumscomprising the multiple dwelling. Also known to the art are telephonenetwork interface apparatus including one or more individual subscriberline modules, typically a plurality of such modules, with eachindividual subscriber line module for connecting one incoming telephonecompany line to one of the telephone customer's telephones. Suchindividual subscriber line modules, as known to the art, provide ademarcation point between a telephone subscriber's or customer's lineand an incoming telephone line to facilitate the determination ofwhether a fault exists on the telephone customer or subscriber's line orthe incoming telephone company line. Such telephone network interfaceapparatus and the individual subscriber line modules, as is also knownto the art, are typically located in a common area, such as the basementof the apartment house or condominium, whereby a telephone repairman canmake a ready determination of whether or not such fault exists on thetelephone subscriber's line or the incoming telephone line whether thetelephone subscriber or customer is home or not; such individualsubscriber line module also permits the telephone customer or subscriberto make the determination of whether a fault exists on the telephonecustomer or subscriber's line or the incoming telephone company line.Examples of such telephone network interface apparatus and individualsubscriber line modules are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,945,559,patented Jul. 31, 1990, entitled TELEPHONE NETWORK INTERFACE APPARATUS,and U.S. Pat. No. 4,979,209, patented Dec. 18, 1990 entitled INDIVIDUALSUBSCRIBER LINE MODULE; Thomas J. Collins et al. are inventors of bothpatents and both patents are assigned to the same assignee as thepresent invention. These patents are incorporated herein by reference asif fully reproduced herein and U.S. Pat. No. 4,979,209 is referred tohereinafter as the "'209 patent."

With regard to one example of coaxial cable signals, cable televisionsignals are typically transmitted to a multiple dwelling over an opticalfiber line which terminates at an optical network unit typically locatedcurbside to the above-noted multiple dwelling. Typically a plurality ofcoaxial cables run from the optical network unit to the above-notedindividual apartments or condominiums to connect the incoming cabletelevision signals directly, or through a cable television channelselector, to the individual television sets of the cable televisioncustomers residing in the apartments or condominiums. Should one of suchtelevision sets fail to provide a television picture and audio signalsor sound, a question arises in the mind of the television customer as towhether the television set is not working or whether cable televisionsignals are not being received. The television customer typically callsthe cable television company and reports the failure and thenarrangements must be made to coordinate the time at which a cabletelevision repairman can come to the television customer's apartment orcondominium with the time at which the television customer is home. Thisis particularly difficult due to the fact that cable televisionrepairmen typically work 8:00 or 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and televisioncustomers, including husbands and wives, typically also work 8:00 or9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Accordingly, and with further regard to the cable television signalsexample, there exists a need in the art for apparatus forinterconnecting a television customer's television set to incoming cabletelevision signals which provides a demarcation point between suchtelevision set and the source of such cable television signals to permita cable television repairman to make a reasonable determination as towhether or not the failure of the television set to provide a televisionpicture and sound is due to the television set not working or thefailure to receive incoming cable television signals, and to permit suchcable television repairman to make such determination while thetelevision customer is not present at the apartment or condominium.Thus, it will be further understood, more broadly, there exists a needin the art for apparatus for interconnecting incoming coaxial cablesignals to a receiver of such signals and for providing a demarcationpoint between the receiver and the source of such signals to permit arepairman to make a reasonable determination as to whether or not thefailure of the receiver to respond to such signals is due to the failureof the receiver of such receiver to function or the failure to receivethe incoming coaxial cable signals from the source.

There also exists a need in the art for apparatus providing suchdemarcation point which permits the user of the receiver of the coaxialcable signals to make a reasonable determination as to whether or notthe failure of the receiver of such signals is due to the failure of thereceiver to function or is due to the failure of the receiver to receivethe incoming coaxial cable signals. By way of further example, thereexists a need in the art for cable television apparatus providing suchdemarcation point and which permits the television customer to make areasonable determination as to whether or not the failure of thetelevision set to provide a television picture and sound is due to thetelevision set not working or the failure to receive incoming cabletelevision signals. If the determination indicates that the failure isdue to the customer's television set not working, the customer has thetelevision set repaired or replaced and avoids a service call from thecable television repairman and its needless attendant cost.

There further exists a need in the art for combination apparatus forconnecting one or more incoming telephone company lines to one or moretelephone subscribers' or customers' lines and for connecting coaxialcable signals from a source thereof to a receiver thereof, such as forexample, for connecting incoming cable television signals to a cabletelevision set which set may be, for example, the television set of atelephone subscriber or customer.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is the object of the present invention to satisfy the foregoing needsin the art.

Combination apparatus satisfying the foregoing needs and embodying thepresent invention may include a housing to which are mounted telephoneconnecting apparatus for connecting at least one incoming telephone linewith a telephone subscriber premises line and coaxial cable signalconnecting means such as for example cable television connectingapparatus for connecting incoming cable television signals with atelevision set; the telephone connecting apparatus may provide ademarcation point to facilitate determination of whether a fault existson the incoming telephone line or the subscriber premises line and thecable television connection apparatus, by way of example of one type ofa coaxial cable module, may provide a demarcation point or points forfacilitating determination of whether the failure of a television set toprovide a picture and sound is due to the television set not working oris due to the failure to receive incoming cable television signals.

An example of coaxial cable module satisfying the foregoing needs andembodying the present invention is a cable television module mounted,e.g. removably, to the above-noted telephone network interface apparatussuch as disclosed in the '209 patent and which module is for connectinga cable television customer's television set, which cable televisioncustomer may also be a telephone customer or subscriber, with incomingcable television signals. The module provides a demarcation point, ordemarcation points, for permitting the cable television customer and/ora cable television repairman, to make a reasonable determination as towhether the failure of the television set to provide a televisionpicture and audio signals or sound is due to the television set notworking or the failure to receive incoming cable television signals. Bymounting the cable television module to such telephone network interfaceapparatus, which apparatus as noted above is typically mounted in acommon area such as the basement of an apartment house or condominium,the cable television repairman can have access to the demarcation pointfor making the above-noted determinations whether the televisioncustomer is at home or not.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a coaxial cable module of thepresent invention shown embodied as a cable television module mounted totelephone network interface apparatus substantially the same as thatdisclosed in the '209 patent;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the cable television module of FIG. 1shown in the assembled condition;

FIG. 3 is a perspective exploded view of the cable television module ofFIG. 1 shown in the disassembled condition;

FIG. 4 is a reverse side view,, in perspective, of the module housingshown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view in perspective of a portion of FIG. 1 alsoshowing an individual subscriber line module mounted to the telephonenetwork interface apparatus laterally of and in close proximity to THEcable television module;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of a cabletelevision module embodying the present coaxial cable module inventionand which module is shown in the assembled condition; and

FIG. 7 is a perspective exploded view of the cable television module ofFIG. 6 shown in the disassembled condition;

FIG. 8 is a front perspective view similar to FIG. 1 but showing analternate embodiment of the combination telephone network interfaceapparatus and coaxial cable module of the present invention shownembodied as a cable television module;

FIG. 9 is a perspective exploded view of the cable television module ofFIG. 8 viewed from the bottom as oriented in FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a perspective exploded view of the cable television module ofFIG. 8 viewed from the top as oriented in FIG. 8;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the cable television module of FIG. 8but shown separate from the television network interface apparatus ofFIG. 8.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to FIG. 1, it will be understood that the telephone networkinterface apparatus indicated by general numerical designation 10 issubstantially the same as the telephone network interface apparatusdisclosed in the '209 patent and also indicated by general numericaldesignation 10. Telephone network interface apparatus of FIG. 1 differsfrom that of the '209 patent in that it includes an upwardly extendingmodule mounting or retaining member indicated by general numericaldesignation 11. For convenience of reference, the structural elements ofthe telephone network apparatus 10 of FIG. 1 corresponding to the samestructural elements of the telephone network interface apparatusdisclosed in the '209 patent have been given the same numericaldesignations as in the '209 patent and, although the '209 patent hasbeen incorporated herein by reference, for convenience of reference abrief description of the primary structural elements of the telephonenetwork interface apparatus 10 will be presented as well as a briefexplanation of the functions of such primary structural elements.

The telephone network interface apparatus 10 of FIG. 1 comprises ahousing including a base 12, a telephone company cover 14, and asubscriber cover 16. Base. 12 includes a bottom 20 circumscribed by anupwardly extending wall 22 and the telephone company and subscribercovers 14 and 16 are mounted pivotally to the wall 22 as shown. Thebottom 20 and wall 22 provide a compartment indicated by generalnumerical designation 28 and which compartment 28 is divided by thediagrammatical dividing line 33 into a telephone company compartmentportion 31 and a telephone subscriber compartment portion 32. As taughtin the '209 patent, the telephone company cover 14 is for being fastenedonly to the base 12 such as for example by a hex-headed screw, notshown, which is not easily removable by a subscriber and which requiresa special type of tool not typically possessed by the subscriber butwhich tool is typically possessed by telephone company personnel topermit such telephone company personnel to unfasten the telephonecompany cover 14 from the base 12. The subscriber cover 16 is for beingfastened only to the telephone company cover 14 such as for example by ascrew not shown in FIG. 1. Such fastening denies the telephone customeror subscriber access to the telephone company compartment portion 31 butpermits the telephone subscriber to unfasten the subscriber cover 16from the telephone company cover 14 to gain access to the telephonesubscriber compartment portion 32 which permits the telephone customerto have access to the demarcation point provided by the telephonecustomer's individual subscriber line module as taught in the '209patent. Such fastening of the covers 14 and 16 also permits telephonecompany personnel to unfasten the telephone company cover 14 from thebase 12 to thereby-gain access to both the telephone company compartment31 and the subscriber compartment 32 as is also taught in the '209patent. A ground buss 71 is suitably mounted in the telephone companycompartment 31, such as by screws not shown, and the ground buss isconnected to earth ground by suitable means not shown as taught in the'209 patent. The module mounting or retaining member 11 is mountedsuitably to the bottom 20 of the base 12 such as by screws not shown,and extends upwardly therefrom generally along the dividing line 33. Themodule mounting or retaining member 11 includes a plurality of upwardlyextending flexible members 11a each provided with an outwardly extendingtab 11b for being received within a notch provided on the cabletelevision modules embodying the present invention or which tab 11b isalso for extending over and wedgedly engaging a portion of theindividual subscriber line module 91 as shown in FIG. 6 and described infurther detail below. The module mounting or retaining member 11 may besuitably mounted to the bottom 20 of the base 12 such as by screws notshown and may be made of a suitable plastic to provide the upwardlyextending members 11b with suitable flexibility and resiliency; themember 11 may be made suitably such as for example by injection molding.A plurality of upwardly extending inverted L-shaped members 110 areprovided on the bottom 20. As described in detail below the members 110cooperate with the tabs 11b in mounting the cable television module 220to the telephone network interface apparatus 10; members 110 are themembers 110 shown in cross-sectional side view in FIG. 10 of the '209patent.

A cable television module embodiment of the coaxial cable module of thepresent invention is indicated by numerical designation 220 in FIG. 1and is shown mounted to the telephone network interface apparatus 10shown in FIG. 1. Generally, the cable television module 220 includes ahousing 222, a first female coaxial cable connector 224 interconnectedby a length of coaxial cable 225 to a second female coaxial cableconnector 226 and a ground bracket 228; the connectors 224 and 226 areexternally threaded and such connectors and the ground bracket 228 aremounted to the housing 222 in a manner described in detail below andindicated diagrammatically in FIG. 3. Further generally, it will beunderstood that the female coaxial cable connector 224 is for beingconnected to the male coaxial cable connector 230 provided on the end ofthe coaxial cable 232 extending partially into the telephone networkinterface apparatus 10 and which coaxial cable 232 is for carryingincoming cable television signals from a suitable source. The femalecoaxial cable connector 226 is for being connected to the male coaxialcable connector 234 provided on the end of the coaxial cable 236extending partially into the telephone network interface apparatus 10and which coaxial cable 236 is for being connected to a television setnot shown. Upon such connections being made, the television set isconnected to the incoming cable television signals.

Referring now to FIGS. 2-4, and first in particular to FIGS. 2 and 4,the housing 222 is provided with a first indentation 240 extendinginwardly of the top portion of the housing and a second indentation 242extending inwardly into a top corner portion of the housing. Asdescribed in detail below, the indentation 240 facilitates removal ordismounting of the cable television module 220 from the telephonenetwork interface apparatus 10 (FIG. 1) and the indentation 242facilitates removal or dismounting of an individual subscriber linemodule, such as individual subscriber line module indicated by generalnumerical designation 91 in FIG. 6, from the telephone network interfaceapparatus 10 upon such individual subscriber line module 91 beingmounted laterally of and in close proximity to the cable televisionmodule 220. The housing 222, FIG. 2, may be provided with members 261and 262 providing a notch 264 therebetween for facilitating mounting ofthe module 220 to the telephone network interface apparatus 10 asdescribed below. As may be best understood by reference to FIG. 3, thefemale coaxial cable television connector 226 may be mounted to theground bracket 228 by threading and tightening the internally threadednut 250 over the externally threaded connector 226, inserting theconnector 226 through the opening 251 formed in the ground bracket 238,placing the washer 252 over the connector 226 and threading andtightening the internally threaded nut 253 over the externally threadedconnector 226 to provide a sub-assembly indicated by general numericaldesignation 255 in FIG. 3. The housing 222, as may be understood fromFIG. 3, is also provided at its lower forward portion with an upwardlyextending slot 244 for receiving a portion of the ground bracket 228 andis provided in its left side portion, as viewed in FIG. 3, with anupwardly extending slot 246 for receiving the connector 226. Thesub-assembly 255 is inserted internally of the housing 222, as indicatedby the arrow 256 in FIG. 3, with the ground bracket 228 extendingoutwardly of the housing 222 through the slot 244 (FIG. 3) as shown inFIG. 2 and with the female coaxial connector 226 extending outwardlythrough the slot 246 (FIG. 3) as shown in FIG. 2. Thereafter, the washer257, FIG. 3, is placed over the connector 226 and the internallythreaded nut 258, FIG. 3, is threaded over the connector 226, as shownin FIG. 2, and tightened to mount the sub-assembly 255 to the housing222. It will be understood, from FIGS. 1 and 2, that the mounting of theconnector 226 and ground bracket 228 to the housing 220 is in a mannersuch that the connector 226 and ground bracket 228 reside at leastpartially internally of the housing 220 and such that the connector 226is available for being connected to the coaxial cable 236, FIG. 1,extending into the telephone network interface apparatus 10. Thus, suchmounting causes the female coaxial cable connector 226 to extend out ofthe housing 222 sufficiently to permit the connector 226 to be connectedto the male connector 234 provided on the end of the coaxial cable 236(FIG. 1) and such mounting also causes the ground bracket 228 to extendout of the housing 222 sufficiently to permit the ground bracket to besuitably connected to the ground buss 71 in the telephone companycompartment 31 to thereby connect the coaxial cable connectors 224 and226 to earth ground.

Referring to FIG. 4, the lower rear portion of the housing 222 of thecable television module 220 is provided with an outwardly extendingmember 248, and referring now to FIG. 5, the cable television module 220is mounted removably to the bottom 20 of the telephone network interfaceapparatus 10 by pivoting the cable television module 220 leftwardly asviewed in FIG. 5 and by inserting the outwardly extending member 248under one of the upwardly extending mounting members 110, as shown inFIG. 10 of the '209 patent, by manually bending or flexing the upwardlyextending member 11a' rightwardly as viewed in FIG. 5, by pivoting thecable television module 220 rightwardly to place the notch 264 (FIG. 2)under the tab 11b' after which the member 11a' is released to allow themember 11a' to pivot leftwardly as viewed in FIG. 6 to permit the tab11b' to enter and wedgedly engage the notch 264. To remove or dismountthe cable television module 220 from the telephone network interfaceapparatus 10, the above-described mounting procedure is reversed and itwill be understood that the indentation 240 formed in the top portion ofthe housing 222 may receive a portion of the thumb or finger of a personto facilitate pivoting of the cable television module 220 as describedabove to facilitate mounting and/or dismounting of the module to andfrom the telephone network interface apparatus 10.

As noted above and as is shown in FIG. 5, an individual subscriber linemodule 91, such as individual subscriber line module 91 shown in FIGS.12-17 of the '209 patent and described in detail therein, may be mountedlaterally of and in close proximity to the cable television module 220and it will be understood that the individual subscriber line module 91is mounted to the apparatus 10 by inserting an outwardly extendingmember, such as member 114 as shown in FIG. 10 of the '209 patent underone of the upwardly extending mounting members 110 and by the tab 11b"by the member 11a" being received in a corresponding notch provided inthe module 91 or by the tab 11b" extending over a portion of the top 170of the module 91. It will be further understood that the indentation 242formed in the corner portion of the cable television housing 220 mayreceive a portion of the thumb or finger of a person to facilitategrasping of the individual subscriber line module 91 to facilitate theindividual subscriber line module being pivoted leftwardly as viewed inFIG. 1 to facilitate its removal or dismounting from the telephonenetwork interface apparatus 10.

It will be understood that the telephone network interface apparatus 10,cable module 20 mounted removably to the apparatus 10, and theindividual subscriber line module 91 mounted removably to the apparatus10 comprise an embodiment of the combination apparatus of the presentinvention for connecting incoming telephone company wiring or lines totelephone subscriber premises wiring or lines and for connectingincoming cable television signals to a television set.

Referring again to FIG. 1 and to the demarcation points referred toabove, it will be understood that upon the television set of a cabletelevision customer not working, which customer also may be a telephonesubscriber or customer, the customer may unfasten and open thesubscriber cover 16 and disconnect the female coaxial cable connector226 from the male coaxial cable connector 234 to provide a demarcationpoint between the customer's television set and the source of incomingcable television signals. The customer may thereafter connect a secondtelevision set, such as for example a portable television set, to thefemale coaxial cable connector 226 and in the event that the secondtelevision set receives a television picture and sound, the customer mayreasonably determine that the failure of the first television set toreceive a television picture and sound is due to the first televisionset not working. On the other hand, upon the customer connecting thesecond television set to the female coaxial cable connector 226 and uponthe failure of such second television set to provide a televisionpicture and sound, the customer may make a reasonable determination thatthe failure of the first television set to work is due to the failure toreceive incoming coaxial cable signals. Also, a cable televisionrepairman, which upon the Regional Bell Operating Companies being ablealso to provide cable television signals in addition to telephoneservice may be also the telephone company repairman, may open thetelephone company cover 14 and disconnect the female coaxial connector224 and the male coaxial cable connector 230 to provide a demarcationpoint between the customer's television set and the incoming cabletelevision signals. Such repairman may then connect suitable cabletelevision signal test apparatus to the male coaxial cable connector 230and in the event that such test apparatus indicates reception ofincoming coaxial cable television signals the cable television repairmanmay make a reasonable determination that the failure of the customer'stelevision set to provide pictures and sound is due to the set notworking. Alternatively, if such cable television signal testingapparatus does not indicate reception of incoming cable televisionsignals a reasonable determination is made that the failure of thecustomer's television set to provide picture and sound is due to thefailure to receive incoming cable television signals. The cabletelevision repairman may also disconnect the female coaxial cableconnector 226 and male coaxial cable connector 234 to provide ademarcation point therebetween and thereafter connect the cabletelevision signal testing apparatus to the female coaxial cableconnector 226 and make a determination, after having made the precedingdescribed determination, as to whether or not the cable televisionmodule 220 is working or not.

In the event that it is desired to connect or carry additional incomingcable television signals to the television set beyond the capacity ofthe coaxial cable 232 (FIG. 1) to carry cable television signals, analternate embodiment cable television module, a further embodiment ofthe coaxial cable module of the present invention, may be utilized andsuch alternate cable television module is indicated by general numericaldesignation 320 in FIGS. 6 and 7. Cable television module 320 is thesame as cable television module 220 except that cable television module320 includes additional coaxial cable connectors 324 and 326interconnected by a length of coaxial cable 325 and the housing 322includes a second inwardly extending slot 346, FIG. 7, for receiving theconnector 326, additionally the ground bracket 328 includes an opening351 for receiving the connector 326. It will be understood that thecoaxial cable connector 226 is mounted to the ground bracket 328 and tothe housing 322 as described above with regard to housing 322, and itwill be further understood that the coaxial cable connector 326 ismounted to the ground bracket 328 and the housing 322 by the internallythreaded nuts 350, 362, and 365 and the washers 361 and 364 in the samemanner that the connector 226 is mounted to the ground bracket 228 andhousing 222 of FIGS. 2 and 3 as described above. It will be furtherunderstood by referring to FIG. 6 that upon such mounting the femalecoaxial cable 326 resides at least partially internally of the housing322 and extends outwardly of the housing sufficiently to permit theconnector 326 to be connected to a coaxial cable, not shown, which wouldextend into the telephone subscriber compartment 32 of FIG. 1 and whichwould be connected to the television set. It will be further understoodby reference to FIG. 5 that the coaxial cable connector 324 is madeavailable for connection to an additional coaxial cable, not shown,which would extend into the telephone compartment 31 of FIG. 1 and whichwould carry additional incoming cable television signals from a suitablesource. Such connections would permit additional incoming cabletelevision signals to be carried to the television set.

It will be further understood that the female connectors 324. and 326 ofFIG. 1 may be disconnected from the male coaxial cable connectors (notshown) of the coaxial cable described above for carrying the additionalincoming cable television signals and for connecting such additionalincoming cable television signals to the customer's cable television setto provide demarcation points in the same manner as described above withregard to the disconnection of the female connectors 224 and 226 fromthe male coaxial cable connectors 230 and 234.

Referring now to FIGS. 8-11, further embodiments of the combinationtelephone network interface apparatus and coaxial cable module, andcoaxial cable module as a separate invention, are shown. Structuralelements shown in FIGS. 8-11 which are the same as, or substantially thesame as, and which have the same or substantially the same function asthe structural elements shown in FIGS. 1-9 and described above, aregiven the same numerical designations for convenience of reference andfacilitation of presentation. Telephone network interface apparatus 10A,FIG. 8, is substantially similar to telephone network interfaceapparatus 10 shown in FIGS. 1 and 5 but instead of including or beingprovided with a ground buss such as ground buss 71, FIGS. 1 and 5,apparatus 10A is provided with a ground connecting conductor or groundconnecting means 401 for connecting the telephone network interfaceapparatus 10A to earth ground in the manner known to the art. Moreparticularly, the ground connecting conductor 401 is connected to theprotectors indicated by general numerical designations 402 and 404 inFIG. 8 which provide electrical protection to telephone subscriber linesor wiring (not shown) connected to the pairs of subscriber wiringterminals indicated by numerical designation 406 in FIG. 8; thetelephone subscriber lines or wiring are connected to incoming telephonecompany lines (not shown) through the protectors and through thetelephone jacks shown on the tops of the individual subscriber linemodules and telephone plugs (not shown) in the manner known to thoseskilled in the art. The pairs of subscriber wiring terminals 406 aremounted on the tops of individual subscriber line modules 408 which aresubstantially similar to the individual subscriber line module 91 shownin FIG. 5 and described above. The individual subscriber line modules408 are mounted removably to the bottom 20 of the telephone networkinterface apparatus by being wedged between a pair of upstandingmounting and retaining members indicated by general numericaldesignation 410 and 412 in FIG. 8. The opposite end of the individualsubscriber line modules 408 are provided with outwardly extending tabs(not shown) which are wedged under outwardly extending tabs provided onthe retaining members 410 and 412 such as the tab 413 provided onretaining member 410 and the tab 414 provided on the retaining member412. Retaining member 410 extends upwardly from the telephone networkinterface apparatus bottom 20 generally along the dividing line 33 whichgenerally divides the telephone compartment portion 31 from thetelephone subscriber compartment portion 32. The upwardly extendingretaining member 412 is disposed laterally from and generally parallelto the upwardly extending retaining member 410.

The telephone network interface apparatus 10A, referring still to FIG.8, is provided with a first coaxial cable access opening 416 forpermitting entry into the telephone network interface apparatus of thecoaxial cable 232 and a second coaxial cable access opening 418 forpermitting entry of the coaxial cable 236 into the telephone networkinterface apparatus.

It will be generally understood that the coaxial cable module of thepresent invention is shown embodied in FIGS. 8-11 as a cable televisionmodule for connecting incoming cable television signals carried by thecoaxial cable 232 to the coaxial cable 236 which, in the specificembodiment illustrated in FIGS. 8-11, carries the incoming cabletelevision signals to a coaxial cable signal receiver, namely atelevision set (not shown). The cable television module embodiment ofthe coaxial cable module of the present invention is indicated bygeneral numerical designation 420 in FIGS. 8-11. Referring to FIGS.9-11, the module 420 includes an electrically conductive ground bracketindicated by general numerical designation 422, a pair of female coaxialcable connectors 224 and 226 interconnected by coaxial cable 225, acover 424 and a ground connecting conductor 426 for connecting theground bracket, and the coaxial cable connectors 224 and 226 connectedmechanically and electrically thereto as described below, to the groundconductor 401 as shown in FIG. 8 which in turn connects the groundbracket 422 and the female coaxial cable connectors 224 and 226 to earthground. The ground bracket 422 may be made of a suitable brass andshaped as shogun such as by stamping and/or machining, and the cover 420may be made of a suitable insulating material such as for example asuitable plastic such as ABS, PVC, or polycarbonate.

The ground bracket 422 includes a first end portion indicated by generalnumerical designation 431 and a second end portion indicated by generalnumerical designation 432. Generally, it will be understood, that uponthe module 420 being mounted to the telephone network interfaceapparatus 10A as shown in FIG. 8, the first ground bracket end portion431 resides in the telephone compartment portion 31 and the secondground bracket end portion 432 resides in the telephone subscribercompartment portion 32.

The second ground bracket end portion 432 includes an upper portionindicated by general numerical designation 434 and it will be generallyunderstood that the cover 424 is mounted to the second ground bracketend portion 432 and covers the upper portion 434 as shown in FIG. 11.The cover 424, note FIG. 10, is provided with a pair of inwardlyextending holes 437 and 438 which receive a pair of threaded screws 441and 442, FIG. 9, which are inserted upwardly through the holes 443 and444 provided in the outwardly extending tab 445 provided on the groundbracket second end portion 432 and are screwed into the holes 437 and438. Upon being mounted to the ground bracket second end portion 431,the cover 424 covers at least the upper portion 431 of the groundbracket second end portion 432 and, as will be understood from FIG. 8,the cover 424 prevents inadvertent or unintentional electrical contactbetween the pairs of subscriber wiring terminals 406 shown in FIG. 8 andthe ground bracket 422.

The female coaxial cable connectors 224 and 226, FIGS. 9 and 10, aremounted respectively to the first and second ground bracket end portions431 and 432 by being inserted through the respective openings 451 and452 and fastened to the ground bracket 422 by the washers and threadednuts 456 and 457 and 458 and 459; this mounts the female coaxial cableconnectors 224 and 226 mechanically and electrically to the groundbracket 422.

The module 420 is mounted removably to the telephone network interfaceapparatus 10A, FIG. 8. The respective ends of the cover 424 are providedwith outwardly extending members or tabs 461 (FIG. 9) and 462 (FIG. 10)which are wedgedly received underneath outwardly extending tabs providedrespectively on the upwardly extending mounting or retaining members 410and 412 such as outwardly extending tabs 413 and 414 shown in FIG. 8.This mounts the second end portion 432 of the module 420 to thetelephone network interface apparatus bottom 420 and causes the secondend portion 432 of the module 420 to reside in the telephone subscribercompartment portion 32. The first end portion 431 of the ground bracket432 is provided with an outwardly extending tab 464, FIGS. 8, 9 and 11,which is provided with a hole 465 through which a threaded screw 466,FIG. 8, may be inserted and screwed into the bottom 20 of the telephonecompartment portion 31; this mounts the first end portion 431 of themodule 420 in the telephone compartment portion 431. Upon the module 420being mounted to the telephone network interface apparatus as described,and referring to FIG. 8, it will be understood that the female coaxialcable connectors 224 and 226 are disposed generally opposite and spacedfrom the respective coaxial cable access openings 415 and 418. Suchcoaxial cable connector disposition facilitates the connection of themale coaxial cable connectors 230 and 234 provided respectively on theends of the coaxial cables 232 and 236.

It will be understood (FIG. 8) that the above-noted demarcation pointsbetween the incoming cable television signals and the television set areprovided, respectively, by the repairman disconnecting the male coaxialcable connector 230 from the female coaxial cable connector 224 and bythe customer disconnecting the male coaxial cable connector 234 from thefemale coaxial cable connector 226. Thereafter, the above-noted testsfor determining whether or not the television set is functioning orthere is a failure to receiving the incoming cable television signalsmay be readily performed in the manner described above.

In brief summary, it will be understood that although the coaxial cablemodule of the present invention is illustrated and described as beingembodied as cable television modules, the coaxial cable module of thepresent invention may be otherwise embodied to receive the coaxial cablesignals noted above and may be conveniently used to connect telephonesignals, data signals, telegraph signals, video signals, and the like,from a source of such signals and a receiver of such signals.

Referring again to FIG. 7, it will be understood that the coaxial cableconnectors 226 and 326 may be commercially available F type right anglefemale coaxial connectors, that the coaxial cable connectors 224 and 324may be commercially available F type in-line female coaxial cableconnectors and that the lengths of coaxial cable 225 and 325 may becommercially available RG179 coaxial cable.

It will be understood by those skilled in the art that manymodifications and variations may be made in this invention withoutdeparting from the spirit and the scope thereof.

What is claimed is:
 1. Apparatus for interconnecting incoming cabletelevision signals to at least one television set, comprising:cabletelevision module means including an electrically conductive groundbracket for being mounted to telephone network interface apparatus forconnecting at least one incoming telephone line to at least onetelephone subscriber's line, said telephone network interface apparatusincluding a base, a telephone company compartment portion, a telephonesubscriber compartment portion and first ground connecting means forbeing connected to earth ground; said ground bracket including a firstground bracket portion and a second ground bracket portion, upon saidground bracket being mounted to said base of said telephone networkinterface apparatus, said first ground bracket portion residing in saidtelephone company compartment portion and said second ground bracketportion residing in said telephone subscriber compartment portion; saidmodule means further including at least first coaxial cable connectormeans mounted to said first ground bracket portion and for beingconnected to a first coaxial cable carrying the incoming cabletelevision signals, and at least second coaxial cable connector meansmounted to said second ground bracket portion and for being connected toa second coaxial cable for carrying the incoming cable televisionsignals to the television set, and interconnecting means interconnectingsaid first and second coaxial cable connector means to transmit theincoming cable television signals from said first coaxial cableconnector means to said second coaxial cable connector means; saidmodule means further including second ground connecting means connectedto said ground bracket and for being connected to said first groundconnecting means to connect said ground bracket and said first andsecond coaxial cable connector means to earth ground; and mounting meansfor mounting said ground bracket to said telephone network interfaceapparatus.
 2. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the telephonenetwork interface apparatus includes terminal means mounted in saidtelephone subscriber compartment portion for being connected to thetelephone subscriber's line, and wherein said module means furtherincludes electrical insulation means mounted to and covering at least aportion of said second ground bracket portion to substantially preventelectrical contact between said terminal means and said ground bracket.3. The apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said second ground bracketportion includes at least an upper portion perpendicular to said firstand second ground bracket portions upon said ground bracket beingmounted to said base of said telephone network interface apparatus, andwherein said insulation means includes a cover of electricallyinsulative material covering said upper portion and mounted to saidsecond ground bracket portion.
 4. The apparatus according to claim 3wherein the telephone company compartment portion and the telephonesubscriber compartment portion are generally separated by a dividingline, wherein the telephone network interface apparatus further includesfirst and second upwardly retaining members, said first retaining membergenerally disposed along said dividing line and said second retainingmember spaced from said first retaining member and disposed generallyparallel thereto and residing in said telephone subscriber compartmentportion, wherein said mounting means include first and second engagingmembers provided on said cover of electrically insulative material forengaging said first and second retaining members to mount said secondbracket portion in said telephone subscriber compartment portion and anoutwardly extending tab provided on said first ground bracket portionfor receiving a threaded member to mount said first ground bracketportion in said telephone company compartment portion.
 5. Coaxial cablemodule for connecting coaxial cable signals from a signal source to areceiver of said coaxial cable signals, comprising:a generallylongitudinally extending, electrically conductive ground bracketincluding first and second end portions; at least first coaxial cableconnector means mounted to said first ground bracket portion and forbeing connected to a first coaxial cable carrying said coaxial cablesignals and at least second coaxial cable connector means mounted tosaid second ground bracket portion for being connected to a secondcoaxial cable for carrying the coaxial cable signals to said receiver;interconnecting means interconnecting said first and second coaxialcable connector means to transmit the coaxial cable signals from saidfirst coaxial cable connector means to said second coaxial cableconnector means; and mounting means for mounting said ground bracket tosupport means for supporting said coaxial cable module.
 6. The coaxialcable module according to claim 5 wherein said coaxial cable modulefurther includes electrical insulation means mounted to and covering atleast a portion of said second ground bracket portion to substantiallyprevent electrical contact between said second ground bracket portionand another electrically conductive member mounted to said supportmeans.
 7. The apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said second groundbracket portion includes at least an upper portion perpendicular to saidfirst and second ground bracket portions upon said ground bracket beingmounted to said base of said telephone network interface apparatus, andwherein said insulation means includes a cover of electricallyinsulative material covering said upper portion and mounted to saidsecond ground bracket portion.
 8. Coaxial cable module for connectingcoaxial cable signals from a signal source to a receiver of said coaxialcable signals, comprising:a ground bracket for being connected to earthground; at least first and second coaxial cable connector means, one ofsaid coaxial cable connector means mounted to and electrically connectedto said ground bracket and for being connected to a first coaxial cablecarrying said coaxial cable signals from said signal source and theother of said coaxial cable connector means for being connected to asecond coaxial cable for carrying said coaxial cable signals to saidreceiver; interconnecting means interconnecting said first and secondcoaxial cable connectors to transmit said coaxial cable signals fromsaid coaxial cable connector means connected to said first coaxial cableto said coaxial cable connector means connected to said second coaxialcable and for electrically interconnecting said other coaxial cableconnector means to said one coaxial cable connector means toelectrically connect said other coaxial cable connector means to saidone coaxial cable connector means and thereby to said ground bracket;and mounting means for mounting said ground bracket to support means forsupporting said coaxial cable module.
 9. The coaxial cable moduleaccording to claim 8 wherein said coaxial cable module further includesa cover of electrically insulative material mounted to and covering atleast a portion of said ground bracket.
 10. Combination apparatus forinterconnecting at least one incoming telephone company line with atleast one telephone subscriber line and for interconnecting incomingcoaxial cable signals with a receiver of said incoming coaxial cablesignals, comprising:a housing; telephone connecting apparatus mounted insaid housing and for interconnecting said incoming telephone companyline with said telephone subscriber line, and said telephone connectingapparatus including first ground connecting means for connecting saidtelephone connecting apparatus to earth ground; coaxial cable signalconnecting apparatus mounted in said housing and for connecting saidincoming coaxial cable signals to said receiver; and second groundconnecting means for connecting said coaxial cable connecting apparatusto said first ground connecting means to connect said coaxial cableconnecting apparatus to earth ground.
 11. Combination apparatus forconnecting at least one incoming telephone line to at least onetelephone subscriber's line and for connecting incoming coaxial cablesignals to a receiver of the coaxial cable signals, comprising:telephonenetwork interface apparatus for connecting at least one incomingtelephone line to the at least one telephone subscriber's line, saidtelephone network interface apparatus including a telephone companycompartment portion, a telephone subscriber compartment portion, firstground connecting means for connecting said telephone network interfaceapparatus to earth ground, first coaxial cable access means forpermitting at least a first coaxial cable carrying the incoming coaxialcable signals to be inserted therethrough and into said telephonecompany compartment portion, and second coaxial cable access means forpermitting at least a second coaxial cable connected to the receiver ofthe coaxial cable signals to be inserted therethrough and into saidtelephone subscriber compartment portion to carry the coaxial cablesignals to the receiver; coaxial cable module means mounted to saidtelephone network interface apparatus and including first and secondmodule portions generally residing respectively in said telephonecompany compartment portion and said telephone subscriber compartmentportion and said first and second module portions respectively disposedgenerally adjacent to and spaced from said first and second coaxialcable access means; first coaxial cable connector means mounted to saidmodule means and second coaxial cable connector means mounted to saidmodule means, said first coaxial cable connector means for beingconnected to said first coaxial cable and said second coaxial cableconnector means for being connected to said second coaxial cable;interconnecting means interconnecting said first and second coaxialcable connector means to carry said incoming coaxial cable signals fromsaid first coaxial cable connector means to said second coaxial cableconnector means; second ground connecting means for being connected tosaid first ground connecting means to connect said first and said secondcoaxial cable connector means to earth ground; and mounting means formounting said coaxial cable module means to said telephone networkinterface apparatus.
 12. The apparatus according to claim 11 whereinsaid coaxial cable module means includes a ground bracket comprisingsaid second ground connecting means and a cover, said ground bracketincluding first and second portions generally residing respectively insaid telephone company compartment portion and said telephone subscribercompartment portion, wherein said second coaxial cable connector meansis mounted to said second portion of said ground bracket, and whereinsaid cover is mounted to said second portion of said ground bracket andresides in said telephone subscriber compartment portion.
 13. Theapparatus according to claim 12 wherein said first coaxial cableconnecting means is mounted to said first portion of said ground bracketand reside in said telephone company compartment portion.